lses, exerted himself unremittingly to
procure a commutation of the sentence, at least to beheading; but in
vain. The King was inexorable. If the Lady Marnell had chosen to ally
herself with Lollards, she well knew what she was doing, and must abide
the consequences. Vainly did Lord Marnell represent how young and
inexperienced she was; in vain did he urge that the Act which made the
Lollards amenable to capital punishment had been passed since her
indictment, and only a few weeks before. Henry was not naturally
disposed to hear his pleasure called in question; and Abbot Bilson had
had possession of the royal ear already.

When Alice returned from Marnell Place on the evening of the 26th of
February, Margery saw, by the expression of her face, that she had heard
something which shocked her. She asked what it was.

"You mind, good my Lady, the day that you went with Master Pynson to
hear a sermon in Bostock Church?"

"I trow I shall not lightly forget it," was Margery's answer.

"Master Sastre was a-preaching, was he not?"

"Ay. Wherefore?"

"My Lady, he suffered death this forenoon by burning."

"Master Sastre! Who told thee?"

"Christopher it was that told me,--and yon evil man--for sure, though he
be a holy priest, yet is he an evil man, or would he never else have so
dealt with your Ladyship--yon evil man, Abbot Bilson was there, and did
sore press Master Sastre for to have confessed his error; but Master
Sastre did maintain the same to the end."

Margery turned away her head. The venerable image of Sastre rose up
before her, as he learned forward over the pulpit to say those last
earnest words.

"Ah, dear old teacher!" she whispered to herself. "Thou wilt not have
long to look among the multitude in the white apparel, for _one_ face
which was upturned to thee that day!"

CHAPTER TEN.

GLORIFYING THE LORD IN THE FIRES.

"Ah, little is all loss,
And brief the space 'twixt shore and shore,
If Thou, Lord Jesus, on us lay,
Through the dark waters of our way,
The burden which Christopheros bore--
To carry Thee across."

Miss Muloch.

As Lord Marnell sat with Margery in her cell in the evening of the 1st
of March, she begged him to grant her a favour. Her contrite husband
bade her ask what she would. Margery replied that she greatly wished to
write a last letter to her mother. Writing-materials were carefully
kept from her. Could Lord Marnell supply her with the means of